There were the emotional, gut-wrenching good-byes. With Frau Müller. With friends at Trafo. With Hawkman. With the elderly, lederhosen-bedecked men of the village. All of which left me as fragile as a helpless baby bird. As empty as a shell. As hungry as a wolf. As angry as a hornet. As nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

You see, I was on my way home to Atlanta. To the people who found me as an infant, abandoned under a toadstool those long years ago. Unfortunately, the whirlwind of organizing, list-making and packing I'd started days weeks before our trip seemed to follow us like an angry storm cloud.

It was a chaotic and hectic start to summer. Both children were on their way to their summer camps. There was jet lag to endure. Pastry withdrawal symptoms. Endless running around/shopping/packing to accomplish. And, almost immediately, more travel on the open roads. All of which was slightly overwhelming and panic-inducing, as all good vacations should be.

But yours truly kept her eyes on the prize.

This was no time to be discouraged.

No time to be weak-willed.

This was a time of heroes.

Trunks were packed. The truck was loaded. Snacks were purveyed. The kids were buckled-in. The iPod was tuned-in to This American Life. And we hit the road like it was Cannonball Run, y'all.

But wait.

Once both kids were settled-in to their camps--two states away, and I'd returned to the nest, another trip appeared on the horizon. Another trip appeared on the horizon. Another trip appeared on the horizon.

Echo. Echo. Echo.

This trip, however, was one I'd been eagerly anticipating and looking forward to for a long while. It involved meeting up with two fabulous bloggers I'd been stalking for years. Two of the big guns. Two lionesses of the jungle. Two alpha females of the blogging wolf-pack.

Two of the toughest, meanest, dirtiest cage-fighters ever to set foot in the ring.

With my sister B in tow, we jumped on a flight to NYC. And so began the highlight of the summer. A meet-up with...

Wait for it...

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait for it...

Almost there...

So close!

Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eleanor and bb!!

(Eurolush, Eleanor and bb, NYC, July 2010)

Isn't that the best photo of the three of us?? bb is really as striking as she appears, yellow beak and all.

Talk about one of the most fun weekends of the summer. We had such a fab time. The weather was amazing...in the 70s! In July! It was insane! With our sister Eleanor firmly in our grips, Beth and I walked and walked and walked all over the city.

Eleanor and Beth, Central Park, NYC 2010

Of course, with brutal endurance walks must come the necessary refueling. We added to our energy stores by eating endless cupcakes on our...

Cupcake Extravaganza 2010!

Countless cupcake shops were visited on our quest for the BEST CUPCAKES IN NYC. I believe we ate nine different cupcakes in less than 36 hours. All different flavors and styles. Eleanor actually showed up to our hotel armed one morning with a google map of all the cupcake shops in Manhattan. With her efforts, we were most efficient. We hunted down those cupcakes like the prey they were.

The Cupcake Queens, NYC 2010

After all that cupcake eating, we met out for dinner at the best Chinese restaurant I've ever been to with bb--who was witty and stylish and 100% New York. I laughed so much that night, my abs were hurting the next day. Eleanor and I sat in awe of Beth and bb as they rallied the conversation back and forth like Venus and Serena. You don't get in the way of the professionals at work, is what I'm saying. Someone could get hurt.

It was a weekend to remember and one I'll look back on with happiness for years to come.

Once again, I thank the lucky stars for all the wonderful friends I've made through blogging.